Dad of two shocked to find he had condition he didn't know affected men while showering

A father who battled breast cancer only for it to return and spread throughout his body nearly two decades later is now calling on men to not "die of ignorance".

Brian Place, a 60 year old operations manager from Newcastle, was first diagnosed with the disease in 2005 after noticing a small lump in his left breast. Despite undergoing a mastectomy, Brian initially hesitated to consult his GP due to the common misconception that men are not affected by breast cancer.

In 2007, he decided to have his right breast removed after feeling "asymmetrical" and upon discovering cells that could potentially turn cancerous. By 2010, he was officially discharged as a cancer patient.

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For years, Brian enjoyed a life free from cancer, but in August 2023, he began suffering from severe back pain, which eventually led to him "crawling along the floor".

It was then discovered in February this year that the cancer had made a comeback, attacking his spine and causing a vertebra to collapse, as well as spreading to his pelvis and liver.

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Despite his secondary diagnosis and being told he has a "50/50 chance of making five years" due to the stage 4, incurable nature of the cancer, Brian remains grateful. He feels "lucky" to still be able to indulge in his hobbies, including playing golf and attending concerts, thanks to medication management.

Speaking about his advice to other men, he told PA Real Life: "Don't die of ignorance. This is a genderless disease, check yourself and if you find anything suspicious get it checked out straight away."

"Men must not be an ostrich and stick their head in the sand... because they really need to get the help when it's the right time to get the help."

Before Brian's first diagnosis, he said he had "no idea that men could get breast cancer".

Now, he is a member of the Men's VMU (virtual meet-up) a male-dedicated support group for men diagnosed with breast cancer but back then, he said support, advice and literature were limited.

So, when he discovered a lump in his left breast while showering in 2005 which he described as "small, round and mobile, like a frozen pea" he assumed this was a cyst.

"I was playing rugby at the time, a high-impact sport, and I thought I'd taken a bump in the chest and a cyst had grown as a result," he explained.

"I didn't really consider it could have been cancer at all."

Brian, a father to two daughters called Ainsley, 33, and Devon, 27, said he waited a month before deciding to visit his GP, as the lump persisted, and he was then referred to a breast clinic.

He said he felt like "a duck out of water" at the clinic, as he was the only man there, and he underwent a mammogram, fine needle aspiration and an ultrasound scan.

He recalled the unsettling experience of his diagnosis in 2005 after a biopsy confirmed breast cancer: "Nothing can prepare you for it. It's just shock getting told that you've got cancer for the first time," he revealed.

Professor Valerie Speirs, a noted authority on breast cancer, highlighted that about 400 men are diagnosed with the condition annually in the UK.

Discussing treatment options, she explained: "This type of cancer is frequently oestrogen receptor positive, which means that men can receive endocrine therapy, typically a drug called Tamoxifen, as part of their treatment."

She added: "Initially, this treatment was given for five years but can now be extended to 10 years if it is well tolerated by patients."

Brian underwent significant procedures following his diagnosis; a mastectomy to remove his left breast occurred just two weeks later, supplemented by radiotherapy and an initial course of Tamoxifen.

Despite considerable side effects from the medication, described as making him feel as though he "should be in a wheelchair" inclusive of hot sweats, aching joints, and weight gain he discussed his condition with a consultant and discontinued the medication after seven months.

The imbalance he felt after the first procedure and potential risks led to his decision for another mastectomy in 2007 to eliminate his right breast.

Left with two nine-inch scars and missing nipples, he remains unfazed: "It doesn't bother (him) in the slightest".

"Once you've taken that step to actually go bare-chested on holiday or around the pool or even the back garden, nobody takes a second glance," he said.

"I had that little bit of trepidation that I was not going to be accepted, but quite frankly, it was never a problem."

From 2010, Brian was discharged as a cancer patient and said life returned to "normal", and he felt "lucky" that the cancer had been caught early enough and he did not require prolonged treatment.

However, it was in August 2023, while playing golf, that he noticed pain in his back and by Christmas that year, he said he could barely stand or get dressed, as he was in "constant, excruciating pain".

"I was crawling along the floor. I could hardly get out of bed," he explained.

He went to see his GP and a chiropractor but an MRI and a CT scan revealed one of his vertebrae had collapsed, causing him to become 3cm shorter, and in February 2024 it was confirmed the cancer had returned.

"That's when we discovered that not only was it all up and down my spine, but it was also in my pelvis and in my liver," he said.

"I said (to the oncologist), 'Would it be fair to say that I'm riddled? ' And he said, 'We don't like to use that word but yes, pretty much'."

Although Brian is in pain every day and may require palliative radiotherapy in future, he is taking medication to manage his diagnosis and said he has been able to regain some mobility and "quality of life".

He was given a stark prognosis with a "50/50 chance of making five years," but he remains determined to "look at the positive side of things" and is keen on raising awareness of breast cancer in men.

He has praised the Men's VMU for being "fantastic" and is urging others to get any unusual symptoms checked out promptly.

"Men are not immune to this type of cancer," Brian emphasised.

He shared that many are surprised to learn about male breast cancer, saying: "Blokes, particularly, every single one that you talk to, even on the Men's VMU, will tell you that they had no idea that men could get breast cancer."

He stressed the importance of spreading awareness: "Get the message out there, people are less ignorant, and the sooner they catch it, the better quality of life they're going to have, maybe even a cure."

For more information on The Men's VMU, their website is themensvmu.org.